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2 SheetsSheet 1.*

(No Model.) J. TOTHAM.

COUPLING FOR WATER GLOSETS.

Patented Oct. 6, 1896.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets8heet 2.-

J. TOTHAM. COUPLING FOR WATER GLOSETS.

No. 568,996. Patented Oct. 6, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES TCTHAH, OF NEXV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN M. PECK, OF SAME PLACE.

CO U PLI NG FO R WATE-R-CLOS ETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 568,996, dated October 6, 1896. Application filed May 28,1896. Serial No. 593,484: (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES TOTHAM, of New Haven, in the county of N e w Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Couplings for Water'Closets and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, aview in side elevation of a coupling constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a view thereof in vertical central longitudinal section; Fig. 3, a detached plan view of the rubber coupling-pipe Fig. 4, a view in vertical transverse section on the line CL b of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a view in end elevation of the spud-collar, looking at the outer end thereof; Fig. 6, a face View of the neck of the closet-bowl; Fig. 7, a detached plan view of the coupling-plate; Fig. 8, a similar view thereof in inside elevation.

My invention relates to an improvement in the couplings employed between water-closet bowls and the flush-pipes thereof, the object being to produce a simple, durable, and convenient coupling which will accommodate itself to any changes in the relative positions of the bowl and pipe due, for instance, to the settling of the building containing the plumbing.

With these ends in view my invention consists in a self-adjusting coupling having certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claim.

In carrying out my invention I employ a short coupling-pipe A, made of india-rubber and therefore flexible and self-accommodating to the relative positions of the parts with which it is connected. The inner end of the said pipe is formed with a flange A, adapted to occupy and pack an annular recess B, formed in the neck B, which is by preference molded integral with the earthenware closetbowl B which may of course be of any approved construction. The horizontally-arranged central passage B of the neck opens into the bowl and discharges thereinto the water brought to the bowl by the flush-pipe. The coupling-pipe A is also formed near its inner end with a large annular flange A designed to bear directly against the flat outer end of the neck 13, as clearlyshown in Fig.

2, whereby a large bearing between the pipe and neck is secured. The said flange is held against theend of the neck by means of a coupling-plate C, provided at its respective 6o ends with ears 0 C, having perforations for the reception of screw-bolts D D, furnished at their outer ends with nuts D D and provided at their inner ends with heads D D which are engaged with the inner faces of the ears'B B extending in opposite directions from and formed integral with the neck B, the said ears being formed with open slots 13 B for the reception of the shank portions of the screw-bolts, by means of which the coup 7o ling-plate is drawn against the flange A and the same pressed against the end of the neck B.

The inner face of the coupling-plate is'constructed with an annular recess 0 for the reception of the flange A as shown in Fig. 2. The rubber coupling-pipe Ais also constructed adjacent to the outer face of the flange A with an exterior annular bead A which fits into a cavity C formed in the coupling-plate C, and enlarging the grip of the plate upon the rubber pipe and additionally providing against any leakage from the pipe in case it is markedly flexed by such a settling of the building as to disturb the relations of the bowl and flush-pipe.

The outer portion of the pipe A receives the externally-threaded collar E, which, as it corresponds in function to the spud ordinarily inserted directly into the neck of a watercloset bowl, I shall term the spud-collar. This is furnished at its inner end with a faceted flange E, adapting it to be grasped and held against rotation by a wrench or equivalent tool. The said spud-collar is held 5 against rotation upon the rubber pipe A by its provision with two grooves E E leading out of its central opening and designed to receive ribs A A formed upon the exterior surface of the pipe, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

The extreme outer end of the pipe A is formed with an outwardly-extending annular flange A which, when the parts are ELSSGDP bled, engages directly with the outer edge of the spud-collar, as shown in Fig. 2, the said flange being forced against the said end of the collar for packing the same by means of a flange F, formed upon the inner end of the flush-pipe elbow F, the flange F of the elbow F being forced against the flange A of the rubber pipe A by means of a coupling-collar G, which is externally threaded to take into the external threads of the spud-collar, as clearly seen in Fig. 2.

It will be seen by an inspection of the drawings that when my improved coupling is in use the rubber pipe is firmly held by each end, while its central portion is concealed and protected. At the same time there is sufficient play providedfor between the metal parts to permit the rubber pipe to flex, and so accommodate the coupling tofany changes in positions of the bowl and flush-pipe due, for instance, to the settling of the building, 850.

It is apparent that in carrying out my invention some changes from the construction herein shown and described maybe made;

andl would therefore have it understood'that I donot limit myself to the exact constructionhereinshown, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my inventiomwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a self-adj ustin g coupling for water-closet bowls and flush-pipes, the combination with a bowl provided with a neck, of a rubber coupling-pipe adapted at its inner end to be insertedinto the'outer end of the neck, and

end engaged byt-he, flange formedattheouter end of thepipe, an elbow-couplingtprovided with a flange engagingwith the flange at the outer end of thepipe, and azcoupling-s.v collar holding the flanged end 'of the elbowcouplingagainst the flanged outer end .of the: pipe, and en gaging with the spud-collar, sub-.

stantially as set forth'.

In testimony whereof IITh'ave signedfthisspecification in the :presence of twosubscribt-r ing witnesses.-

JAMES TOTHAM-f W'itn esses GEO. D. SEYMOURP LILLIAN D; KELSEY, 

